Electrical devices are commonly connected together using some type of electrical cable assembly that includes an electrical conductor (such as conductor or coax cable assembly) and a conductive terminal. The terminals are generally metal tubes or a U-shaped metal that is squeezed around the conductor. The crimping action effectively reforms the terminal around the conductor to form a strong electrical and physical connection. Often, the reliability of the electrical device depends in part on the quality of the connection created between the terminal and the conductor (i.e., the “crimp”). Thus, crimping not only provides for electrical connectivity, but also provides a mechanical connection for protection against torsional and tensional forces. These forces can damage the terminal or the conductor and disrupt the electrical connection.
Most commonly, crimped connections have been used to attach copper conductors to terminals. However, due to the lower cost and weight of aluminum, conductors formed from aluminum or aluminum alloys are becoming a prevalent alternative to copper. The same types of crimped connections that are commonly used for copper, however, don't always perform well with aluminum-based materials because of the corrosive products that accumulate on the surface of the terminal and/or conductor that can impede the electrical connection and weaken the physical connection.
Known crimp-style connections tend to use the force or pressure of the crimping action alone to make the electrical and mechanical connections between the terminal and the conductor. This force, however, tends to damage or break either the conductor or the terminal. If less crimping force is used to prevent damage or breakage, the electrical or mechanical connections may not be adequate for the needs of the system. Moreover, creating an effective electrical connection between the terminal and the conductor using a pressure contact method is impeded by various corrosion products on the surface of the terminal and the conductor.
Various methods have been employed to overcome these impediments, but few have been successful in high volume manufacturing environments. Making an electrically stable contact with the conductor for long periods of time and over many different environmental factors generally includes overcoming surface corrosion on both the conductor and the terminal by breaking through corrosion products to expose non-corroded portions of the conductor, removing the corrosion products on the surface of the terminal, and electrically connecting the non-corroded portions of the conductor and terminal to one another in a manner that will be physically stable over time, temperature, and other environmental changes. This type of connection is especially difficult when aluminum conductor is used due to the low hardness of the aluminum combined with corrosion products on the aluminum, which are often much harder than the aluminum itself.
Thus, there is a need for a connector that provides a firm electrical and mechanical connection without causing damage or breakage to the conductor and/or terminal, and can overcome connection impediments due to corrosion.